Pulling Pigtails
by akscully
Summary: Who said pushing a girl into a puddle of mud wasn't a valid dating technique? [DannyLindsay]


So why did Danny ask Lindsay out to lunch? Not really episode specific but definitely takes place before "City of the Dolls". Just a bit of fluff.

* * *

His day had been going so well too. 

"Danny, I can do lab work, you know," Lindsay said tightly, obviously trying to control herself.

"Didn't say you couldn't, Mont—Monroe, sorry," Danny corrected. "I'm just better at this procedure, that's all." He grinned and folded his arms, enjoying how worked up she was getting. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hawkes spare them a cursory glance then go back to organizing evidence on the table in front of him.

He could almost hear her teeth grind. "Then perhaps I should do it so that I can improve."

"Nah, don't worry about it. I'll take care of it. You can review the tapes."

"Review the tapes," Lindsay muttered. "A four year old can review tapes." She glared at him. "Fine," she snapped. "I'll get the report to you by the end of the afternoon."

Danny couldn't resist. "It's bad for your teeth, you know. All that grinding. Wears them down." He grinned as she rolled her eyes.

"Smug, narcissistic jackasses are bad for my teeth," Lindsay said under her breath and opened the lab door with a touch too much force.

Danny blinked. Wait, she didn't think he was that bad, did she?

"Maybe you should just pull on her pigtails," Hawkes commented, never looking up from his work.

Danny continued to stare at Lindsay stalking down the hall. "What?"

"You know, pull her pigtails, dip them in ink," Hawkes said, moving to look at a section of a dress under the magnifying glass. "Might give her an idea of what you're doing."

Danny shot him a look. "I don't know what you're talking about. And what am I doing?"

Hawkes finally looked up from his evidence, smiling slightly. "Nothing, I guess," he said mildly.

Danny just narrowed his eyes and pulled on some gloves.

* * *

He ran into Stella later walking out of the gun lab. She was holding a small bag with a bullet inside of it. 

"Got a match?" he asked curiously, walking by her.

Stella's head snapped around. "Hopefully. Found the gun in the main suspect's apartment. It'd be nice to have a quick and easy case."

Danny nodded as he went to prepare his weapon for testing. "Hey," he said, just as Stella was about to walk out the door.

She turned back, a question in her eyes. "Yeah?"

Danny fidgeted slightly. "Uh, do you know what it means to pull someone's pigtails?"

Stella's brow furrowed. "What?"

Danny licked his lips, looking anywhere but Stella. "Pull a girl's pigtails, dip them in ink? Ever heard of that expression?"

Stella's lips quirked. "Oh, yeah. It's uh, it's an old line, refers to a little boy having a crush on a girl. He doesn't know how to act so he's mean and annoying to cover up his feelings." She pantomimed pulling on someone's pigtails. "Means he's confused and acting childishly." She grinned openly. "Someone tell you that?"

"What? No, no, not at all," Danny said defensively. "Heard someone in the lab say it. About a case they were working on."

Stella's shoulders quaked with silent laughter just a little. "Whatever you say, Danny." Amusement colored her voice as she walked out of the lab.

Danny sighed and tried to focus on loading the gun.

* * *

He walked into the locker room, rolling his shoulders, trying to work out the stiffness there. Lab work could tense you up like nothing else. Concentrating for so long was hell on his back. He should have let Lindsay do it. 

He stopped suddenly when he saw the brown bag sitting on the floor in front of his locker. He approached it slowly, picking it up and examining it closely. He let out a small breath when he saw Hawkes' neat handwriting on a note taped to it. Danny set the box down and opened the note.

_Danny,_

_Looked up the formula and made something for you. Thought it might help._

_Sheldon_

Danny crumpled the note and put it in his pocket than carefully opened the bag. He didn't think Hawkes was much for practical jokes but he didn't want to be the first to find out. He pulled out a small jar of a thick black liquid. He looked at it incredulously. Hawkes wouldn't have—okay, maybe he would have.

The locker room door creaked open and footsteps came closer. Lindsay rounded the corner and stopped suddenly. "Danny," she said evenly. She obviously wasn't going to mention this afternoon. She moved to her locker and opened it. "You taking home evidence or what?" she asked, getting out her coat and putting it on.

Danny looked at the back of her head and then looked at the jar. He remained silent for so long that Lindsay came over to stand in front of him. "Danny? Hello? What's in the jar?"

Danny's gaze snapped back to hers. "You ever wear pigtails, Mont—Monroe?"

Linday's head cocked slightly to the side, trying to figure out the odd question. "Not since I was six. Why?"

He shook his head and licked his lips. "No reason. Just wondering."

Lindsay raised an eyebrow. "Fine. See you tomorrow." She turned and walked out the door.

Danny watched her walk away and grinned. He hadn't missed how her eyes had quickly flicked down to his lips then back up. He carefully put the jar in his locker.

Maybe one day.


End file.
